


Following each little effort there's a smile

by Sawi



Category: Free!
Genre: Anche se in realtà quella inglese ha 200 parole in più e non so perché, Day 1: Firsts, Languages: English and Italian, M/M, Missing Scene, Silly stuff I wrote in an afternoon, So the actual fic's lenght is half of what you see on the words count, rinharuweek
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-20
Updated: 2014-11-20
Packaged: 2018-02-26 09:56:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,411
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2647700
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sawi/pseuds/Sawi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Haruka had to buy something that wasn't his usual mackerel plus vegetables, thus the task at hand was truly difficult.<br/>Extremely and specifically more complicated if we considered what he wanted to buy: meat.<br/>Trying to convince himself he wasn't doing it just to see his partner smile was almost impossible.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Following each little effort there's a smile

**Author's Note:**

> I really do hope you like this 3 I wrote it in an afternoon, since I didn't plan to post stuff for this marvelous week except for the last day - I've finished my fic a few days ago - but since I LOVE this event I couldn't contain myself. Don't except anything too deep, this is just... Rin and Haru being dorks and realizing how much they care for each other for the first time. I'm sorry for grammar and syntax errors, English is hard when you have to write fanfics.
> 
> Per leggere la fic in italiano, basta andare a metà della pagina BD

 

 

**Following each little effort there's a smile**

 

He looked around, confused and totally disoriented; Haruka had never been in that section of the supermarket and had no idea where to look. He knew the basics to obtain a good grocery shopping outcome – looking carefully at every tiny writing on each food package, checking the expiration dates and finally comparing their prices – but since he had to buy something that wasn't his usual mackerel plus vegetables, the task at hand became much more difficult.

Extremely and specifically more complicated if we considered what he wanted to buy: meat.

He had no idea why did that came to his mind, yet after an hour sitting at the kotatsu staring into the air while waiting for Rin to come for dinner – just as they had decided early that day – Haruka had thought that maybe going out to buy something different to eat wouldn't have been too bad. Initially he had thought of something which could harmonize well with the flavor of grilled mackerel, but in the end what had truly led him out had been something else. Something that _wasn't_ his wish to see Rin happy, of course. It wasn't his intent to see him smile, not at all.

…Who was he trying to fool?

In other words, Haruka – Haruka Mackerel Nanase you may call him – went out specifically to buy some meat for his partner. Being completely clueless about what meat really was, and feeling troubled like if everyone was watching and pointing fingers at him just to say 'Ah, you're buying food for your boyfriend just to make him fall for you even more!', Haruka felt desperate for a moment. What was the best meat to buy? What was the one Rin liked the most?

He sighed, unaware of the perplexed glances an old woman was giving him – she was probably wondering what was so interesting in the perfectly normal piece of beef meat the boy was staring. Finally, after some other long minutes of contemplation, Haruka concluded that that buying different kind of meats was probably his best option.

That way… he would have more chances of getting Rin's favorite meat. However, since that was the first time Haruka was cooking meat for Rin, he was indeed feeling some pressure – although he would have never admitted it.

Would that be sufficient for Rin to smile?

 

 

When he entered Nanase's household – needless to say, the door was unlocked – Rin found no one. Alright, he was a bit late and it was now practically dinner time, but where the hell did his boyfriend go?!

“Haru…?” he called, prying in every room starting from the bathroom, but soon it became clear there wasn't any trace of his partner in the house. This made him worry _a lot._ It was definitely strange for Haru not to be around, nor in the bathtub – summer or winter it was all the same to him.

Rin frowned a little and took his mobile so to call his partner, yet, as always, Haruka had left it at home and it was there that Rin heard it ringing. He clicked his tongue annoyed and hang up. After that, he brought briefly a hand in his hair to bring them away from his forehead and then he sat down at the kotatsu, trying to calm down. Where the hell could he have gone and what if something had happened?

In Rin's mind all possibilities appeared in the form of an images sequence but none of the things he saw – thoughts such as alien kidnapping even – were useful for his tensed nerves. Still, after some long moments of reasoning he was able to relax. Haruka, wherever he was, was undoubtedly safe and nothing wrong had happened to him. He had perhaps simply went out for a walk, or maybe to buy something, or also just to swim whenever he found a sufficient amount of water to soak himself in.

Rin had to believe this, and forget his stupid aliens' ideas.

He'd have sent Makoto a message if he wasn't sure his friend would too get scared for Haruka. Or possibly even more scared than him.

He scratched his head awkwardly and sighed again. Wherever Haruka was, Rin decided his boyfriend had to pay for making him worry so much; Rin would cook dinner on his behalf and—

And he would have been really happy with cooking meat, if there was any. The fridge was full of mackerel.

“Look at what I gotta do... the hell...” he muttered like if somebody was forcing him to tie his hair in a small ponytail, to put on Haruka's apron and to start cooking mackerel.

He, Rin Matsuoka, was cooking fish for his boyfriend for the very first time. The mere thought was enough to have him blushing a little but his persistent pride prevented him to be honest with himself and also to admit that, in truth, he was really eager to surprise Haruka and see him happy. Thus, due to his pride, he started thinking about some good justifications; the one 'I had nothing better to do' surely wouldn't have worked, and neither 'I was hungry' seemed more believable. Rin couldn't lie that easily.

Still, he had to try anyway. This all and even more in order to shield his pride which was already cracked by his perfectly girlish behavior.

He had done it all to save his pride but it was unfortunately useless since it shattered into million pieces as soon as Haruka came back home too early for Rin to be mentally ready.

 

 

“H—Haru what are you doing here?!” the raven saw Rin screaming and shaking a ladle in his direction; he also moved back a bit like if he had just seen a ghost. In the corner of his mind Haruka wondered whether Rin became more idiot or not considering that, well, they were at _his house_ so what kind of question was that?

“It's my house.” he answered while he closed the main door and then approached him suspiciously. Seeing the redhead wearing an apron and having his hair tied in a ponytail was something Haruka really appreciated, yet the scent he could smell in the air kept him from staring at his boyfriend too much.

“Mackerel.” he murmured, surprised, and peeked at the pan. Rin was cooking mackerel, grilled mackerel. Rin was also blushing furiously.

“N— It's... I was hungry, that's all.” he mumbled, yet a glance was enough for Haruka to understand that his words were not his true motivation, otherwise he wouldn't have reacted that way. “Thus, you have not even a small piece of meat in your fridge.”

The smile that was about to spring over Haruka's lips never appeared due to this last statement. “I don't eat it.”

“You stupid mackerelholic.”

“… That word doesn't exists.”

Rin clicked his tongue and folded his arms, looking Haruka up and down from head to toe.

“So, where have you been? You forgot I was coming?” Haruka heard how Rin's tone was peremptory to say the least, and it felt like Rin was hiding something behind his apparent rage. It was strange.

“At the supermarket.” he answered quickly without any problem. Still, when he was about to add what he had bought, he stopped suddenly. Haruka had been silly enough to imagine he would have been able to come back home where, alone, he could have been able to cook, so to avoid every possible explanation on why he had bought meat. With Rin right before his eyes however, his plan was evidently compromised. Stupid Rin.

“Since you're cooking, I'll go have a bath.” he said suddenly and it was clear from his expression that he didn't want to hear any protest.

“Uh?!”

Yet here it came the protest. He ignored it.

Haruka was tempted to bring the plastic shopping bag along with himself in the bathroom but after a few seconds he eventually put it on the kitchen counter and walked away right after, quickly. This meant Rin could see by himself what was inside the shopping bag while Haruka could keep hidden the slight blush – he could clearly feel it – that colored his cheeks. Why was he blushing, for what reason? Was it because Rin had chosen to cook mackerel just for him, or maybe was it plain irritation for the failed surprise…? He hoped the true answer was the second explanation, considering the meat he took for him was now useless.

Maybe it was better to bring it back to the supermarket; would they accept the meat back though? He hadn't thrown away the receipt, but still…

Perhaps it was better to offer it to Makoto. Yes, the Tachibanas were the best choice.

He turned around right before the bathroom door and made a beeline to the kitchen, hoping that Rin had ignored the contents of the bag. Things however went differently, and Haruka stopped as soon as he glanced at his partner, forgetting what he was about to do: his partner was smiling; he had the meat's packages in his hands and joy reflected in those red eyes, over the thin lips and on those wonderful red cheeks. Rin— Rin was smiling, was laughing softly only because he had bought meat for the first time. That was exactly the reaction Haruka had hoped for but still he was hardly ready to _witness it_. He almost gaped and unable to contain it, he smiled.

It was absurd and unbelievable, yet despite the funny situation they found themselves in, the both of them kept staring at each other, smiling and ignoring their embarrassment.

It was the first time Rin openly put aside his pride just to please his boyfriend.  
It was the first time Haruka did the same for his partner.  
It was the first time the both of them realized just how much they cared for each other, how much they desired to see the other smile, how they wished for the other to be happy and everything was just so incredibly—

“Rin, the mackerel.”

The redhead seemed to come back right from heaven. “Mh…? Wha— _OH GOSH_ —“

 

 

That evening they didn't quarrel: although Haruka ate a burnt mackerel and Rin a barely cooked meat, everything was fine and right just like that. Well, maybe Haruka would have preferred his mackerel to be a bit more salty but—

“Next time…” Rin mumbled out of the blue while glaring at his beef steak. Haruka got ready to get blamed upon how poorly that meat was cooked. “… I'll be more careful not to burn the mackerel.”

… _Oh._

Haruka smiled and decided he would look up some meat recipes for the next time.

After the first time, many others had to follow. Better ones.

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Ad ogni piccolo sforzo, segue sempre un sorriso**

 

Si guardò attorno piuttosto confuso, completamente spaesato; Haruka non era mai stato in quella sezione del supermercato e non sapeva bene dove dover cercare. Le basi per fare una buona spesa le conosceva – fare attenzione alle piccole scritte sulle confezioni, leggere le date di scadenza e i valori nutrizionali e infine confrontare i prezzi – ma se si trattava di dover comprare qualcosa che non fosse il classico sgombro o le verdure che era solito mangiare, la faccenda si faceva complicata.

Immensamente complicata se doveva comprare più specificatamente della carne.

Non aveva idea di cosa gli fosse saltato in mente, ma dopo aver passato un'ora seduto al kotatsu a fissare il vuoto in attesa che Rin arrivasse per cena, come erano rimasti d'accordo precedentemente, aveva pensato di andare a comprare qualcosa di diverso da mangiare. Inizialmente aveva ipotizzato per qualcosa che potesse accompagnarsi bene allo sgombro, ma quello che veramente lo aveva spinto ad uscire era stato qualcos'altro. Qualcosa che ovviamente _non_ era il desiderio di far felice Rin, figurarsi. Non era sua intenzione vederlo sorridere, affatto.

…Ma chi voleva prendere in giro?

Insomma, Haruka – Haruka Sgombro Nanase, lo si poteva forse chiamare – era appositamente uscito per andare al supermercato così da comprare della carne per il partner. Non essendo però abituato – e sentendosi anche un po' irrequieto, come se tutti all'improvviso potessero additarlo e dirgli “Ah, stai comprando del cibo per conquistare ancora di più il tuo ragazzo!” – Haruka era come se fosse al buio in un luogo che non conosceva: avanzava a tentoni e rischiava di andare a sbattere. Quale era la carne migliore? Quale quella che preferiva Rin?

Sospirò, ignaro dello sguardo perplesso di una vecchietta lì accanto, la quale con molte probabilità si stava chiedendo cosa trovasse il ragazzo di così interessante in un una normalissima bistecca di manzo, e infine, dopo altri lunghi minuti di contemplazione, concluse che prendere differenti tipi di carne sarebbe stata la scelta migliore.

Così… avrebbe avuto più probabilità di trovare la carne più gradita a Rin. Ma era la prima volta che gliela avrebbe cucinata, e anche se non voleva pienamente ammetterlo, Haruka era un po' ansioso.

Rin avrebbe sorriso, per il suo gesto?  
  
  


  
  
Quando entrò in casa Nanase – la porta, inutile dirlo, era aperta – si stupì di trovarla vuota. Ok, era un po' in ritardo e praticamente era ormai ora di cena, ma dove diavolo si era cacciato il suo ragazzo?!

«Haru…?» lo chiamò, sbirciando in ogni stanza a partire dal bagno, ma era evidente che non vi fosse traccia del moro da nessuna parte e, proprio per questo motivo, Rin si preoccupò. Era decisamente strano che non fosse in casa o che, più specificatamente, non fosse nella vasca da bagno nonostante fosse inverno.

Si corrucciò leggermente, prendendo il proprio cellulare per provare a chiamarlo, ma come suo solito Haruka aveva lasciato il telefono in casa e fu lì che Rin lo sentì squillare. Schioccò la lingua, attaccando, e portandosi una mano tra i capelli si sedette un attimo al kotatsu, tentando di tranquillizzarsi. Dove diavolo poteva essere andato e cosa poteva essere successo per farlo allontanare?

Al ragazzo si presentarono un'infinità di opzioni, molte delle quali completamente inverosimili come il rapimento alieno, e nessuna di queste aiutò i suoi nervi tesi. Fortunatamente però, dopo qualche minuto di panico, tornò ad essere moderatamente calmo. Haruka stava senza alcun dubbio bene e non gli era accaduto nulla di male. Era ovvio che fosse semplicemente uscito, magari… magari per fare delle normalissime compere o per andare ad affogare nella prima quantità d'acqua sufficiente a sua disposizione.

Doveva convincersene, e dimenticarsi degli alieni.

…Avrebbe volentieri mandato un messaggio a Makoto se avesse avuto la certezza di non terrorizzare anche il loro amico.

Si grattò la nuca goffamente e sospirò. Dovunque fosse finito Haruka, Rin decise che si sarebbe pentito di averlo fatto preoccupare e di essersi allontanato: avrebbe preparato la cena al posto suo e—

E avrebbe voluto cucinare della carne per ripicca, ma ovviamente nel frigo non ne trovò.

«Ma tu guarda che cavolo mi tocca fare... »mugugnò come se qualcuno lo stesse costringendo a legarsi i capelli, ad indossare il grembiule di Haruka e a mettersi a cucinare dello sgombro, precisamente come aveva appena fatto.

Lui, Rin Matsuoka che cucinava del pesce per il suo ragazzo per la prima volta. L'idea lo fece lievemente arrossire, ma il suo stupido orgoglio gli impedì di essere onesto con se stesso e di ammettere che in realtà era piuttosto felice e persino entusiasta di fare una sorpresa ad Haruka; così, iniziò a pensare a qualche scusa. Quella del “non avevo nulla di meglio da fare” non avrebbe mai funzionato, e neanche “avevo fame” sarebbe stata più credibile; Rin non sapeva mentire.

Ma avrebbe tentato comunque. Tutto questo e altro ancora per proteggere il suo orgoglio già incrinato dal suo attuale atteggiamento da perfetta fidanzat _a_.

Tutto questo per proteggere il suo orgoglio che comunque si infranse quando Haruka, mentre Rin si stava ancora preparando mentalmente, entrò in casa.  
  


  
  


«H—Haru cosa ci fai qui?!» il moro lo vide sbraitare e agitare il mestolo nella sua direzione, indietreggiando persino di un passo come se avesse visto un fantasma. Haruka si domandò distrattamente se non fosse diventato più idiota dall'ultima volta che lo aveva incontrato, perché insomma, era _casa sua_ questa, che razza di domanda era?

«E' casa mia.» gli rispose infatti mentre chiudeva la porta dell'ingresso e lo avvicinava, sospettoso. La vista di lui con un grembiule e i capelli raccolti era molto gradita al moro, ma l'odore che sentiva nell'aria ottenne gran parte della sua attenzione, distraendolo da quanto vedeva e avrebbe volentieri fissato a lungo.

«Sgombro.» mormorò sorpreso, sbirciando nella padella sul fuoco. Rin stava cucinando dello sgombro. E stava arrossendo terribilmente.

«N—E'... e' che avevo fame, tutto qui.» mugugnò, ma ad Haruka bastò un'occhiata per capire che quella non era la sua vera motivazione, altrimenti non avrebbe mai reagito a quel modo. «E a casa tua c'è solo pesce, neanche un po' di carne.»

Il sorriso che stava per nascere sulle labbra del moro venne troncato da quell'ultima affermazione. «Non ne mangio.»

«Stupido sgombrofilo.»

«…Non esiste quel termine.»

Rin schioccò la lingua, incrociando le braccia e squadrandolo.

«Beh, dove sei stato? Ti eri scordato che dovevo venire?» si sentì chiedere con tono piuttosto perentorio, come se avesse fatto un grave errore ma Rin non volesse farglielo notare interamente. Strano.

«Al supermercato.» rispose subito, senza farsi problemi, ma quando stava per aggiungere quel che aveva comprato, si bloccò. Si era scioccamente immaginato di tornare a casa e di poter iniziare a cucinare da solo, così da potersi evitare ogni spiegazione sul perché avesse preso della carne, ma con Rin lì davanti ai suoi occhi il piano era stato inevitabilmente compromesso. Stupido Rin.

«Dato che stai cucinando, vado a farmi un bagno.» disse all'improvviso, e sperò che fosse chiaro non ammetteva alcuna protesta.

«Uh?!»

Eppure eccola lì sotto forma di verso insensato. La ignorò.

Fu tentato di andare in bagno con tutta la busta della spesa con sé, ma dopo qualche secondo di indecisione poggiò tutto sul bancone, allontanandosi immediatamente dopo, in fretta. Il compagno avrebbe visto da sé quel che aveva preso e lui nel frattempo avrebbe evitato di mostrargli il lieve rossore che, lo sentiva, aveva colorato le sue guance. Ma perché poi stava arrossendo? Solo perché Rin aveva scelto di cucinargli dello sgombro, apposta per lui, o forse per la rabbia di non essere riuscito a fargli una sorpresa…? Sperò che fosse la seconda motivazione, dato che ora che l'altro stava cucinando del pesce, la carne che gli aveva preso sarebbe stata inutile.

Forse avrebbe fatto meglio a riportarla al supermercato; gliela avrebbero accettata però? Non aveva buttato lo scontrino, però...

Forse avrebbe potuto darla anche a Makoto. Sì, darla ai Tachibana era la scelta migliore.

Haruka fece dietrofront davanti alla porta del bagno, ma quando tornò in cucina per riprendersi la busta, sperando che Rin avesse ignorato il suo contenuto, non osò portar via un bel niente: il compagno stava sorridendo. Aveva le confezioni di carne tra le mani e la gioia riflessa nei suoi occhi, sulle sue labbra e in quelle meravigliose guance rosse. Rin— Rin stava sorridendo, stava ridacchiando proprio perché gli aveva comprato della carne per la prima volta, e anche se quella era esattamente la reazione in cui Haruka aveva sperato, non era affatto preparato a _vederla_. Si ritrovò difatti senza fiato e, incapace di contenersi, anche lui sorrise.

Era particolarmente assurdo e la situazione era decisamente buffa, ma nonostante il leggero imbarazzo che provò – che provarono entrambi – continuarono a fissarsi. E a sorridere.

Era la prima volta che Rin metteva da parte il suo orgoglio così chiaramente per fare un piacere al moro.  
Era la prima volta che Haruka faceva lo stesso per il compagno.  
Era la prima volta che si rendevano conto di quanto tenessero l'uno all'altro, quanto desiderassero vedersi sorridere, essere sereni, ed era tutto così _incredibile_ così—

«Rin, lo sgombro.»

Il rosso sembrò tornare improvvisamente con i piedi per terra. «Mh...? Cos— OH _PORCA MISERIA_ —»

  
  
  


Quella sera non bisticciarono come al solito: Haruka mangiò uno sgombro bruciato e Rin della carne troppo al sangue, ma andava più che bene ad entrambi. Forse Haruka avrebbe preferito un po' più di sale ma—

«La prossima volta...» mugugnò Rin, guardando di traverso la sua bistecca sanguinolenta. Haruka si preparò a sentire qualche rimprovero al riguardo, e a ribattere. «…starò più attendo a non bruciare il pesce.»

… _Oh._

Haruka sorrise e si ripromise di leggere qualche ricetta per delle buone bistecche.

Dopo la prima volta, dovevano seguirne altre di migliori.

 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> And that's it, a totally useless fic.  
> If you liked this though, I'd be really happy to read your comments <3  
> (AND I KNOW THERE ARE PROBABLY A LOT OF ENGLISH ERRORS I'M SO SORRY MY ENGLISH SUCKS)


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